Legionnaires disease - know your responsibilities

Thu, 16 Jul 2015 08:54:00 GMT

Private landlords now have a responsibility to conduct risk assessments of their properties for the Legionella bacteria. We are currently investigating the possibility of running a short training course regarding this and providing landlords with more detailed information regarding their responsibilities. We will contact all our registered landlords with this information when we have it. Further information at this time can be obtained from the Health and Safety Exectutive website on the following address http://www.hse.gov.uk/legionnaires/what-you-must-do.htm

Tackling Illegal Immigration In Privately Rented Accommodation

Mon, 16 Mar 2015 11:23:00 GMT

The Government is making it harder for illegal immigrants to rent accommodation. The Immigration Act 2014 introduced a requirement for landlords of private rental accommodation to conduct checks to establish that new tenants have the right to rent in the UK. Landlords who rent to illegal migrants without conducting these checks will be liable for a civil penalty.

The government wants to ensure tenants in private rented housing are not living in the UK illegally and is already working with councils to tackle rogue landlords who exploit migrant by housing them in “beds in sheds” and illegally overcrowded accommodation.

These checks have been trialled in one location in the UK in autumn 2014. The requirements will then apply more widely from 2015. Where you are working with the HomeChoice Plus Scheme we will have made these checks for you.

The government is focussing on making this work for the housing market and minimising regulation. The checks will be very simple, and in most cases landlords will be able to conduct them without contacting the Home Office.

Private landlords will be required to make simple checks on new tenants to ensure that they are entitled to be in this country. The checks will be straightforward and quick for law-abiding landlords and tenants to comply with.

Key Facts

The requirements will not apply to pre-existing tenancies. Landlords will only have to conduct checks on new tenancy agreements from the implementation date.
The checks will apply to all adults over the age of 18 living at the property.
When the checks are mandatory in 2015 there will be resources provided such as draft Codes of Practice, guidance and online resources, including an aid to help landlords and tenants identify whether they are affected and, if so, how to conduct a check.
The government will also provide a set off services to help landlords to conduct checks such as online guidance and a telephone helpline (local rate) providing general information, and a case-checking service for more complex cases.
The government are focused on caring for the vulnerable:
- They are making it easy for homeless and vulnerable people to prove their entitlement through simple documentary requirements for the right to rent check
- They are exempting those parts of the housing market where further regulation is least appropriate from this obligation, including homelessness hostels, refuges and student accommodation including all halls of residence, any accommodation provided for students directly by a higher educational institution (HEI), and residency agreements in private residential properties where the student has been nominated to occupy the property by a HEI
- They are excluding all tenants housed by local authorities under a statutory duty from the scheme.
The focus is on making it work for the housing market and minimising regulation. If a landlord has not had an answer from the Home Office within two working days, they can go ahead and rent without risk of incurring a penalty (Check latest timing on website).
Failure to comply could result in a civil penalty up to a maximum £3000.
It is important to check the latest timescales and requirements directly.

For full information visit:
Factsheet Landlords Aug 14.pdf

Site Live

Thu, 23 Oct 2014 10:22:00 GMT

Our Site is now live, so make sure you have a good look around to test it works as expected. In the members area you will be able to see the properties you have currently and previously advertised with us as well as useful documents to download and a landlords forum which will enable you to share comments, problems and solutions with other landlords.

So please create a user account if you have not already and start to enjoy the benefits of Mole Valley District Council's Localpad, the software facility for landlords of HomeChoice PLus Mole Valley

Mole Valley Empty Homes Decreasing

Thu, 16 Oct 2014 12:55:00 GMT

Empty homes are on the decrease, with our new websitewe hope to bring more empty homes back into use through private renting. If you are aware of an empty home which we could help bring back into use please contact the Housing team on 01306 885001

Latest News

Legionnaires disease - know your responsibilities

Tackling Illegal Immigration In Privately Rented Accommodation

Site Live

Mole Valley Empty Homes Decreasing